Late September Shop Update

My Peppermint Cacao Soap smells good enough to eat!

Top view of Mother of Dragons soap

Mother of Dragons soap

Orange Spice

Faerie Realm Soap

Have I mentioned that I love making soap? I have been busy getting ready for a shop restock in late September. Not pictured are some pumpkin spice bars, and many soaps inspired by the autumn theme of "Fairy Tales and Magical Creatures" I can't wait to share them with you. Head over to Instagram and follow me to get sneak peeks and coupon codes! Thanks for stopping by!

When soap dreams don't come true

My Painter's Palette soap on the inside. I had been dreaming about making a cold process rainbow and white soap for a while. I used the recipe I always do when I work with more intricate designs. I still don't know what caused it to accelerate, when this happens it gets really thick, really quick. So instead of slowly putting this design together, I was rushed. I went to pour the red and it wasn't coming out of the container, so from there I was glopping it in the mold and trying my best to achieve the look I was going for.

Having said that, I do like the inside, even though it wasn't what I had hoped for. I plan to try again in a few weeks, I have a lot of soaps in my queue currently. Tomorrow I am making palm free Dandelion & Calendula soap. I have my organic dandelion tops and calendula steeping!

I make soap in my dreams.......

Last night I dreamt that I was making soap. This is likely because I have been making a lot lately. Custom orders, test batches, and writing out recipes to try. I am also writing a fiction book with characters that make soap (of course!). Yesterday, my amazing mom came over to offer me a nap while she watched the littles. She had known that we haven't been getting much sleep lately. I replied with "or I could make soap", which she knew I would say. Making soap is really a passion for me, it makes me very happy.

This Thursday I am making shampoo bars. They have taken the place of shampoo in our house. Every time I make a batch they never seem to make it to the shop. Friends and family tend to get the fruits of this recipe. An extra long curing time means this next batch will be in the shop in mid June. Even with our hard water I have found that my hair looks so much better after about 2 weeks off of conventional shampoos and conditioners. The key is an apple cider vinegar rinse with herbs that suit your hair.

Shop News March 2016

 How are you!? I am writing this on a dreary February 29th/Leap Day afternoon. I have bread rising on the counter, and minestrone simmering on the stove. Next I plan to bake some pumpkin muffins for easy breakfasts this week, the littlest is napping and his older brothers are busy constructing a Lego castle . I will be sharing the recipe on my companion blog, Violets and Dandelions (currently under construction) later this week.

There are many changes happening with my little shop on Etsy. First of all, I have decided to go palm free. I have up to this point used RSPO (responsibly sourced palm oil), but after my own research I have decided to discontinue purchasing it. I do however have about 10 lbs left in my supplies and will use it until it runs out. I have been focusing on changing my recipe to make my soaps both palm free and vegan. I have found that recipe, and I am spending the next few weeks making soap to put in the shop which will be ready starting in April. So you will find both palm free/vegan as well as vegan with the RSPO palm I have until it runs out.

I am no longer carrying my sugar scrub cubes until I can come up with a way to make them both palm free and vegan. The soap base I can get for that comes with either palm or tallow.

Here are some palm free soaps I made this weekend:

Outer Banks Sea Spray soap, 100% organic coconut oil soap

Gentle Carrot and Coconut Milk soap

Close up of the Outer Banks Sea Spray soap

You may notice that I have a section in my shop called D E S T A S H. This is the year of decluttering for me, and I have an embarrassing amount of craft related items that I will be posting there. I already put some yarn up that sold. There will be fabric, including some Heather Ross fabric that is out of print. An Alicia Paulson Maggie Rabbit kit, knitting pattern books, more yarn, notions, and lots of vintage sewing patterns. We are trying to prepare for moving out of state by slowly releasing much of the 'stuff' that surrounds us. I will post on Facebook when I have everything listed.

In other news I am updating my labels, I sketched a new logo and have to paint it with watercolors and then scan it into the computer. Lots of fun stuff going on over here! Hope you are well!

Lavender Peppermint Shea Butter Soap

I took a small hiatus from soap making, but had run out of some ingredients. Part of me said to wait for my supplies to arrive, but the other part yearned to get into my soap corner and make something. This soap, and the micas I chose begged to have a citrus scent, which I didn't have. So instead I used a combination of lavender & peppermint essential oils.

As much as I love lavender I am excited to do something different. This week I am making a new batch of shampoo bars, after lots of tweaking and help from testers I have found what works best, I am using a citrus essential oil blend for those.  I will update later this week with those, and some fun soaps for Valentine's Day!

Thank You

Some Christmas Orders

Since opening my shop this summer, I am blown away by the support I have gotten from friends, family, and new customers too. It was so exciting to meet new people, and work with customers to make one of a kind custom orders. I did a craft show which was CRAZY but fun.

 I just wanted to convey my gratitude to everyone. Starting something like this has been very humbling and has not been without challenges and hiccups. I am not a business minded individual, my strengths have always been in creating. Many times I wanted to give up because doing anything beyond making of things feels like, well....WORK! :)

 As for me, I do not plan on getting big, or taking over the world. Doing many craft shows is not possible for me right now, although I am considering renting a table at a local farm market next summer. My family is first and foremost my focus, and joy. Making soap and other curious creations is a hobby which allows me to be creative, and in selling these creations it blesses our family, and gives me those moments that all parents need to recharge.

I also write, knit, sew, paint, garden, cook and wood work in my free time, and let's be honest my free time is not very often!! Being able to pursue various passions is key to my well being, but the minute I feel the scale tipping too much in one direction I have to scale back and find balance.

I took a small break this month from making soap to focus on celebrating the holiday with my family, which was wonderful. This week I dust off my soaping corner, and will begin to make some fun Valentine's Day soaps which will be listed in the shop in late January. I am about to start on some custom orders as well.

Having rambled a lot, I just want to say THANK YOU again to all of those who supported my shop in 2015! May 2016 be a wonderful year for you. Please use the coupon code THANKS20 for free shipping on all orders for $20 or more.

In gratitude,

Katie

New Soaps & New Listings in the Shop!